A two-dimensional area (2D) can be divided into square units called pixels. Likewise, a 3D volume can be divided into cubical units called voxels. In much the same way that a camera can be used to create a 2D pixel representation of a real-world object by taking a picture, a 3D voxel representation of a real-world object can be constructed by taking many pictures of an object from different angles. Other techniques for generating a 3D voxel representation include using laser range-finding techniques.
Typically, the voxel representations are depicted in a voxel space as cubes. The voxel representation is not the end result because a collection of cubes does not produce a realistic view of an object. Hence, a technique of converting voxel data into a smooth surface suitable for rendering on modern graphics hardware is required.